So yesterday I ventured to Nottingham for the first Shakespears Sister concert featuring both Siobhan Fahey and Marcella Detroit in over 25 years. (I seem to make a habit of coming to the UK to see Siobhan in reunion concerts, don’t I?)
Here’s the setlist for the show:
- Goodbye Cruel World
- Heroine
- Love’s A Dangerous Game
- Dirty Mind
- My 16th Apology
- Heaven Is In Your Arms
- The Trouble With Andre
- Emotional Thing
- C U Next Tuesday
- Time To Say Goodbye
- All The Queen’s Horses
- What Would You Do?
- Stay
- Black Sky
- Are We In Love Yet?
- I Don’t Care
- You’re History
- Band intros
- Catwoman
- Hello (Turn Your Radio On)
The setlist leans heavily towards the band’s second (and best-known) album Hormonally Yours, featuring every track bar ‘Moonchild’ and ‘Let Me Entertain You’. Every track from this year’s 5-track Ride Again EP also got an outing (largely in a mid-set block).
The debut album Sacred Heart got less attention, with just three tracks featured: ‘You’re History’, ‘Heroine’ and ‘Dirty Mind’ (the original arrangement, not the 1990 re-recording). I was a little surprised that ‘Run Silent’ didn’t feature.
No cover versions, no B-sides, and no unreleased tracks. But clearly the audience (myself included) was very happy with the overall selection!
It was a great gig. The band were in fine form, and Siobahn was in excellent voice and much more relaxed than when I saw her with the Nanas. (There’s a lot less choreography to remember!) She bounced all over the stage, while Marcy mostly hung with her microphone stand and guitar. But there wasn’t any of that barely-concealed-loathing in-it-for-the-money Spandau Ballet vibe I often complain about.